Kornimate/medical-research-clean huggingface dataset:
e-learning during covid-19 pandemic: turning a crisis into opportunity

Conditions: Satisfaction

Summary: e-learning is now a well-established method of education all over the world, and it has been used for years as a major method of teaching in many fields. the medical field is not far away, but the use of e-learning in it has become increasing, and the technological advances have made this process more realistic and interactive. the emergence and spread of covid-19 virus as a global pandemic has placed many restrictions on daily life activities including enrolment in schools and universities in many countries, including jordan, which has led to a marked and increased use of e-learning as a significant alternative to traditional education. medical teaching has some peculiar characteristics, especially the need for direct interaction between the student and the patient, attending clinics, wards, and operating rooms, and the close exposure to clinical cases. this have created some restrictions and obstacles in the way of using e-learning in medicine education, in addition to other important influencing and limiting barriers, such as technical barriers, especially in the light of the abrupt transition to e-learning utilization under the current circumstance, and the psychological barriers -in terms of anxiety and stress- that resulted by this pandemic and the consequent home quarantine. this cross-sectional study aims to study the current state of e-learning in the school of medicine at the university of jordan, by evaluating the teaching tools used and the effect of the rapid transition in basic medical teaching and clinical medical training to become mainly based on the e-learning methodology on the academic achievement and assimilation of the clinical part of the medical courses, and the general satisfaction of the medical students at their different academic levels. other influencing factors will be studied, such as the extent of students' readiness and preparedness to use the e-learning tools and their previous experience in it, the extent of the readiness and experience of their teachers, and the general mental health status of students and their effects on accepting the distance e-learning process, and the commitment to participate and interact with various electronic activities. this study, after exploring the difficulties and hurdles facing the e-learning process and after analysis, aims to propose practical solutions to facilitate and maintain it beyond the covid-19 pandemic era.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * all medical students exclusion criteria: * none
indicated prevention of psychotic disorders with low-dose lithium

Conditions: Schizophrenia; Bipolar Disorder; Psychotic Disorders

Summary: this study investigates the neuroprotective properties of low-dose lithium in young individuals at ultra-high risk of developping a first psychotic episode. fourty individuals having some symptoms of an emerging psychotic disorders (without meeting the threshold for a full-blown mental illness) will be treated with a low dose of lithium (about a third of the dose that is usually used to treat acute mania). we will assess the progression of the conditions of these individuals on a montly bases for a year. we will do behavioural, cognitive and imaging assessments prior start of the treatment, after three months and one year. we hope to demonstrate that low dose lithium will stop or even reverse the progression of disease. we expect that behavioral, cognitive and in vivo brain imaging parameters in those individuals treated with low dose lithium improve, compared to the monitoring group.

to investigate whether low-dose lithium is an effective agent in indicated prevention amongst subjects at ultra-high risk of developing a psychotic disorder. this aim will be achieved by treating a high-risk patient population with low-dose lithium (450mg/day) and investigating its effects using clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging and cell biological approaches. we will recruit 30 patients considered to be at ultra-high risk of developing a first psychotic episode, currently receiving treatment at the personal assessment and crisis evaluation (pace) clinic in melbourne, australia. pace criteria for identifying patients at high risk include subjects with a family history of psychosis and a decrease in functioning (30% gaf) and/or attenuated psychotic symptoms and/or brief psychotic symptoms (blips) resolving without treatment. patients who give informed consent will receive treatment with a slow release form of low dose lithium for a period of a year, plus supportive therapy. patients who do not consent will receive supportive therapy only. assessments will be conducted at baseline, twelve weeks and one year post-recruitment. assessments will include cognitive functioning, structural mri, 1h-mrs at 3tesla and cell biological parameters (bcl-2, ap-1; nimh, washington dc). in addition, all patients will be seen on a monthly basis for a clinical interview, covering psychopathology, global functioning, and quality of life.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * attenuated psychotic symptoms * self-limited brief psychotic episode * family history of psychosis and decrease in functioning over last year exclusion criteria: * organic causes of subthreshold psychotic symptoms (eg. epilepsy) * more than one week of neuroleptic treatment

Keywords: at risk mental state prodrome ultra high risk first episode psychosis schizophrenia bipolar disorder
recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide for the recovery stage of septic shock

Conditions: Sepsis-induced Cardiomyopathy

Summary: as infection control improves and circulation stabilizes, treatment de-escalation of septic shock begins, accompanied by fluid redistribution from interstitial spaces to the vasculature, increasing cardiac volume load. synthetic recombinant human bnp (rh-bnp) plays a role in inducing vasodilation, particularly in the venous system, alleviating cardiac congestion, and enhancing natriuresis and diuresis. thus the investigators designed a single-center, prospective physiological study to evaluate the efficacy of standard rh-bnp infusion in reducing venous return and enhancing fluid removal, with a secondary objective of assessing the maintenance of perfusion pressure and tissue perfusion.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. sepsis-3 criteria met with sequential organ failure assessment (sofa) score increase ≥2 points due to suspected/documented infection. 2. hypotension persisting after initial fluid resuscitation with concurrent hyperlactatemia at shock diagnosis. 3. hemodynamic stability achieved after adequate initial resuscitation and individualized hemodynamic optimization. 4. controlled infection source with improving temperature, white blood cell (wbc) count, and procalcitonin. 5. 48-hour trend of decreasing vasopressor requirements and transition to negative fluid balance. 6. ongoing pulse index continuous cardiac output (picco) hemodynamic monitoring and sinus rhythm. 7. volume indicators above the lower limit of normal range, with global end-diastolic volume index (gedi) \>680 ml/m² and central venous pressure (cvp) \>8 mmhg8. 8. adequate perfusion with warm extremities, and capillary refill time (crt) \<3 seconds9. 9. signs of cardiac dysfunction: bnp\>20010 or nt-probnp \>900 pg/ml6 or reduced ejection fraction (lvef \< 50%). 10. no bonus dose of diuretics has been used in the past 6 hour. exclusion criteria: 1. age \<18 years. 2. pregnancy or lactation. 3. arrhythmia. 4. persistent dependence on moderate-dose vasopressors (norepinephrine equivalent 0.1-0.3 μg/kg/min) to maintain systolic blood pressure (sbp) \<90 and mean arterial pressure (map) ≥65 mmhg. 5. advanced renal dysfunction (acute kidney injury \[aki\] stage 3 or chronic kidney disease \[ckd\] stage 3b or higher) based on kidney disease: improving global outcomes (kdigo) criteria. 6. inadequate ultrasound window preventing acquisition of diagnostic-quality images. 7. altered mental status impeding patient cooperation. 8. trauma or neurological diseases (including intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction). 9. pre-existing severe heart failure (new york heart association \[nyha\] class iii-iv) or acute myocardial infarction within the past 30 days. 10. concurrent enrollment in interventional trials that could confound study outcomes. 11. inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent.
magnetic resonance imaging (mri) in motion

Conditions: Liver Cancer, Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer

Summary: this study is a research initiative established to explore the use of magnetic resonance imaging (mri) as a tool for detecting organ motion as it pertains to planning radiation therapy.

the goal with radiation therapy is to treat the defined tumor and spare the surrounding normal tissue from receiving dose above specified tolerance doses. there is evidence of improved local control and survival with higher doses of radiation, however, at the same time there is the need to spare normal tissues from higher doses of radiation. technologies that allow the delivery of an increased radiation dose to the tumor while sparing normal tissue have the potential of improving the therapeutic ratio. however, the development of these technologies has been hampered by organ respiratory motion particularly in the case of the lungs and liver. inadequate radiation coverage of a tumor secondary to organ motion can lead to delivering a lower dose to a portion of the tumor. making the field of radiation larger to account for organ motion results in unnecessary radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissues. it is therefore desirable to document the extent of motion of the organ in question prior to carrying out the radiation treatment planning. the organ motion impacts directly on the radiation dose distribution in the treatment volume.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * age ≥ 21 * patients with primary or metastatic tumors in the lungs, liver, or pancreas * patients undergoing a planning ct scan in the department of radiation oncology with tumor motion assessment - planning 4d-ct ordered by the treating radiation oncologist * signed, specific informed consent prior to study entry exclusion criteria: * any condition for which a mri procedure is contraindicated including presence of metallic material in the body, such as pacemakers, non- mri compatible surgical clips, shrapnel, etc * pregnant or breast-feeding women * subjects who have difficulty lying flat on their back for extended periods of time
acupuncture for adults with sickle cell disease (scd): a feasibility study

Conditions: Sickle Cell Disease

Summary: the investigators long-term goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of adults with chronic pain due to sickle cell disease (scd), a debilitating pain syndrome characterized by acute and chronic pain. the objective of this study is to explore the feasibility and acceptability of acupuncture with adult patients with scd. all participants will receive acupuncture treatments twice per week for 5 weeks. subjects will complete measures at baseline and post-treatment, and a measure of study acceptability at post-treatment. the investigators will describe the procedures and potential challenges to implementing the acupuncture protocol, and expect to identify and rectify any procedural problems that subjects report regarding the 10-session study protocol.

the investigators will conduct the study with adults with chronic pain from scd, 18 years old or greater. they will all receive acupuncture. treatments will be twice weekly for 5 weeks, for 30 minutes per treatment. at baseline and post-treatment, subjects will complete measures that include pain, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms, injustice experience, and pain catastrophizing. subjects will also complete a measure of study acceptability, the protocol acceptability scale for treating scd with acupuncture at post-treatment. the investigators will describe the procedures and potential challenges to implementing the acupuncture protocol and the range in the subjects' acceptability scale scores. the investigators will expect to identify and rectify any procedural problems that subjects will report regarding the 10-session study protocol.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * adults with sickle cell disease * receiving care at the university of illinois sickle cell disease clinic * moderate to severe level of pain (3 or higher on a 0-10 scale) within the last 3 months exclusion criteria: * pregnancy * physically or cognitively unable to complete the study procedures

Keywords: sickle cell disease pain chronic pain acupuncture
evaluation of the effects of teleconsultations on a endocrinology referral list

Conditions: Diabetes Mellitus; Hypothyroidism; Hyperthyroidism; Goiter; Thyroid Nodule; Obesity

Summary: the aim of this study is evaluate the effects of telephone teleconsultations to primary care physicians (compared to the state's referral protocol) in the referrals waiting list for endocrinological appointments.

rio grande do sul state's referral list for endocrinology evaluation in specialized care is highly overloaded. there is currently a referral protocol to select patients how should be referred. it will be evaluated if a intervention of telephone-based teleconsultations provided by the telessaúders to the primary care physicians can provide additional benefits. telessaúders is a telehealth program from the university of rio grande do sul. this will be evaluated in a cluster randomized clinical trial.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients from counties with at least 5 endocrinology referrals waiting appointment. * patients referred from primary care physicians * patients referred because one of the protocol conditions (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goiter, thyroid nodule, obesity). exclusion criteria: * patients from counties with more than one hundred endocrinology referrals waiting appointment.

Keywords: endocrinology referral list teleconsultation telemedicine cluster randomized clinical trial
a couples approach to enhance breast cancer survivorship

Conditions: Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Summary: the purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of a new couple-based intervention for women with recently diagnosed, early stage breast cancer and their spouses or male partners. this cancer-focused relationship enhancement intervention adapts well-validated cognitive-behavioral interventions to teach patients and partners specific relationship skills, such as problem-solving skills, communication, and maximizing positive interactions, that they can use in addressing breast cancer. this project's major goals are to improve the patient's individual functioning and specific aspects of the couple's relationship affected by breast cancer (e.g., mood, role functioning, sexual functioning, and social support). in the current investigation, cancer-focused relationship enhancement will be compared to (a) a couple-based cancer education intervention and (b) a treatment-as-usual condition.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * diagnosed with early stage breast cancer within last year * no history of breast cancer, or other cancers in last 5 years (except skin cancer) * living together in a committed heterosexual relationship * read and speak english * agree to participate exclusion criteria: * stage 3b and above breast cancer * notable psychopathology, including severe depression with suicidality

Keywords: breast cancer couples cognitive behavioral therapy women with early stage breast cancer and their partners.
repeated infusions of mesenchymal stromal cells in children with osteogenesis imperfecta

Conditions: Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type II; Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type III

Summary: this is a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of repeated mesenchymal stromal cells (msc) infusions to patients with type ii or iii osteogenesis imperfecta (oi). participants will receive msc infusions approximately every 4 months to complete a total of 6 infusions over 20 months. participants will be followed for 4 months post their last msc infusion.

this is a pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of repeated msc infusions to subjects with oi. this study will evaluate subjects on two separate strata. stratum a will include subjects with a diagnosis of type ii or type iii osteogenesis imperfecta who have previously undergone a bone marrow transplant. stratum a may use previously harvested and cryopreserved bone marrow mononuclear cells from original bmt donor or freshly harvested or cryopreserved bone marrow mononuclear cells obtained from a haploidentical healthy parent or sibling. stratum b will include subjects with type ii or iii osteogenesis imperfecta who have not undergone a bone marrow transplant. stratum b will only receive freshly harvested or cryopreserved bone marrow mononuclear cells from a haploidentical healthy parent or sibling. participants will receive msc infusions approximately every 4 months to complete a total of 6 infusions over 20 months. participants will be followed for 12 months post their last msc infusion.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * subjects less than or equal to 19 years of age at the time of enrollment * children with a diagnosis of severe of type ii or iii osteogenesis imperfecta * parent or sibling greater than or equal to 18 years of age, donor willing to or has already undergone hla typing, and willing and able to provide bone marrow * bmt greater than 5 years ago for stratum a exclusion criteria: * dependent on supplemental oxygen * concurrent infection

Keywords: type ii or type iii osteogenesis imperfecta oi mesenchymal stromal cells msc
novel tinnitus implant system for the treatment of chronic severe tinnitus

Conditions: Tinnitus

Summary: researchers are gathering information on the safety and effectiveness of a novel device called the tinnitus implant system for the treatment of tinnitus.

this study requires one year of participation with at least 21 visits to mayo clinic in rochester mn for device programming and audiometric testing. the device is implanted during an outpatient surgery. participants may keep the study device after participation is complete.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria * age: ≥18 years of age * normal to moderate snhl (≤70 db hl; based on pta of 0.5, 1 and 2 khz) and wrs ≥ 75%. * unilateral or asymmetrical subjective tonal tinnitus * tinnitus present for at least 6 months, but not longer than 3 years * tinnitus that is disruptive * thi score in the severe range (≥56/100) * tfi score in the severe range (≥52/100) * tinnitus vas ≥50/100 * tinnitus that is intractable, and has not been ameliorated by conventional measures such as a hearing aid or masking exclusion criteria * age: \<18 years of age * tinnitus present less than 6 months or longer than 3 years * current pregnancy * history of brain or major ear surgery * prior major head trauma * presence of clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms determined by screening using the gad-7, phq-8, and shai * gad-7 \>9 (indicates clinically significant anxiety) * phq-8 \>9 (indicates clinically significant depression) * shai \>25 (hypochondriacal level illness anxiety) * inability to assess, continue or complete trial * currently on antidepressants, anxiolytics or antipsychotics * active use of other tinnitus treatments (not including non-masking hearing aid use) * normal contrast-enhanced mri of the head * normal temporal bone ct
education intervention to reduce helminth infections and absenteeism in grade 5 school-children

Conditions: Infections

Summary: to efficiently control soil-transmitted helminths (ascaris, trichuris, and hookworm), who, paho, and others recommend the inclusion of an education strategy in school-based deworming programs. however, the effectiveness of such a strategy on the rate of sth re-infection and on education indicators, such as absenteeism, remains to be fully understood. the proposed research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a post-deworming education intervention targeted to grade 5 school children enrolled in belén's schools using a cluster-randomized trial design. results will be used to inform school-based deworming programs in peru and other similar endemic areas in latin america and, indeed, around the world.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * girls and boys enrolled in grade 5 in eligible schools located in the belén district of iquitos, peru. eligible schools have a minimum of 10 boys and 10 girls enrolled in grade 5. * informed written consent obtained from the parents or legal guardian of the child. * verbal assent from child. exclusion criteria: * parents (or guardians) refusing participation of their child. * child who refuses to participate.

Keywords: educational activities cluster-randomized controlled trial albendazole deworming school-age children peru ascaris lumbricoides trichuris trichiura hookworm sth infections intestinal helminth infections
liver ct dose reduction with deep learning based reconstruction

Conditions: Radiation Exposure; Liver Cancer

Summary: a deep learning-based de-noising (dld) reconstruction algorithm (clarict.ai) has the potential to reduce image noise and improve image quality. this capability of the clirict.ai program might enable dose reduction for contrast-enhanced liver ct examination. in this prospective multicenter study, whether the clarict.ai program can reduce the noise level of low-dose contrast-enhanced liver ct (ldct) data and therefore, can provide comparable image quality to the standard dose of contrast-enhanced liver ct (sdct) images will be evaluated. the aim of this study is to compare image quality and diagnostic capability in detecting malignant tumors of ldct with dld to those of sdct with mbir using the predefined non-inferiority margin.

a deep learning-based de-noising (dld) reconstruction algorithm (clarict.ai) has the potential to reduce image noise and improve image quality. this capability of the clirict.ai program might enable dose reduction for contrast-enhanced liver ct examination. in this prospective multicenter study, whether the clarict.ai program can reduce the noise level of low-dose contrast-enhanced liver ct (ldct) data and therefore, can provide comparable image quality to the standard dose of contrast-enhanced liver ct (sdct) images will be evaluated. the aim of this study is to compare image quality and diagnostic capability in detecting malignant tumors of ldct with dld to those of sdct with mbir using the predefined non-inferiority margin.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * age between 20-year-old and 85 years old * patients referred to the radiology department to perform contrast-enhanced liver ct under the suspicion of focal liver lesions exclusion criteria: * patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate \< 60 ml/min/1.73m2 * previous history of severe adverse reaction to iodinated contrast media.